FULLVIEW BIBLE STUDY WEDNESDAY NIGHT 6 00 PM
FULLVIEW BIBLE STUDY WEDNESDAY NIGHT 6: 00 PM
HEBREWS CHAPTER TWELVE
• Hebrews 12 builds on the example of the heroes of the faith mentioned in chapter 11. • The main point is that those figures endured suffering and hardship, yet held to their faith in God, which allowed them to achieve victory. • It highlights Jesus as the perfect model • It explains the purpose of chastening from God. • It comments on the glory of the Christian’s present status.
Fix Your Eyes on Jesus-the Perfect Example ( Hebrews 12: 1 -3) • Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses points back to the examples given in Hebrew 11. ØThey leave behind their legacy of faith and God’s grace. ØTheir good examples should spur us on. Their lives demonstrated that it was not impossible to face the trials and difficulties in this world and conquer them by faith. ØThey are not witnesses in the sense that they are observing us, rather their examples are meant to be an encouragement to the readers.
Let Us Lay Aside and Run the Race • The Christian life is not a sprint, but a marathon. • We are not running for heaven. We are running for the joy of exaltation God promises will be ours if we glorify Him. (1 Thess 2: 19) • Lay aside every encumbrance – An encumbrance is not necessarily a sin. In a race an encumbrance is something that slows an athlete down.
Let Us Lay Aside and Run the Race • The sin seems to indicate a particular sin; maybe unbelief. üSin carries the idea of something that entangles us and will keep us from running well. üSin gets in the way of our fellowship with God üSin distorts our vision and thinking and makes us ineffective under the weight of any pressure. üSin leads to stumbling.
Looking to Jesus • Some people are preoccupied with themselves: üIf we focus on ourselves we will not run well the race set before us. üIf we are preoccupied with what others are doing it will throw off our stride and slow us down and cause us to stumble. • Focus on Jesus: üJesus perfects our faith. üJesus is the chief example of all faith. (1 Cor 10: 1) üJesus is the one who initiates faith and brings it to its intended completion. üIn our suffering we follow in the steps of Jesus.
Looking to Jesus • Looking at Jesus will provide us with the strength and courage to continue in the race. üWe will not grow weary or lose heart. (Gal 6: 9) üIf Jesus perfect faith had not led Him to the cross, our faith would be in vain. (1 Cor 15: 1417)
The Role of God’s Discipline in the Christian’s life. (Hebrews 12: 4 -11) • All of Jews to whom Hebrews was written were undergoing persecution because they had left Judaism. • This affliction had largely been in the form of social and economic pressure and even imprisonment. • They were in danger of having their faith seriously weakened by adopting again the rituals and ceremonies of the Old Covenant. • None of those reading Hebrews 12 had yet given their lives (been martyred) for their belief.
The Purpose of Discipline • God uses hardships and affliction as a means of discipline, a means of training His people, helping them to mature in their spiritual lives. (Rom 5: 3 -4; James 1: 2 -4) • God’s punishment (discipline) is corrective, not judgmental. We should take it as a reminder that we are His son and correct the issue that needs dealing with. • The wise person will take to heart discipline from the Lord and change their behavior. (Ps 119: 71)
The Purpose of Discipline • The trials we face may be discipline from God. • Discipline could have two meanings. One is “punishment for the purpose of correction” against one who has sinned. The other is like training, to educate us for better service and better living. • Christians do not suffer because they have necessarily done something evil, but rather, because God through the suffering, wants to make us holy. (2 Cor 4: 17; 12: 7 -9) • Sometimes God disciplines in order to prevent sin.
A Call to Holiness (Hebrews 12: 12 -17) • The goal of discipline is correction and restoration. We should take the steps necessary to correct our sin and repent so that we will be restored in our relationship with God. • The purpose of these verses is not to teach truth only but to encourage living up to the truth. • Truth that is known, but not obeyed becomes a judgment rather than a help. (Jas 4: 17)
Make Straight Paths with Your Feet (Hebrews 12: 12 -15) • The picture in these verses speaks of readiness to work and move for the Lord. • The readers are pictured as being is a state of weakness and discouragement. An appeal to live in a way that is obedient and pleasing to God. üWe should take great care that the tracks we leave are straight. üThe lame has reference to those who made a step toward Christ but have not gone all the way. They give the appearance of being in the race but are not. They are prime candidates for Satan to trip up. üGet right with both men and with God. (Rom 12: 8)
Falling Short of God’s Grace (Hebrews 12: 16 -17) • Come short means to come too late, to be left out. • If someone dies before trusting in Jesus Christ, they are lost forever. • There are some people who spend their lives in church, yet have never come to salvation. (Mat 7: 21 -22; 1 John 2: 19) • The root of bitterness refers to a person who is superficially identified with God’s people, and have fallen back into paganism. This person is arrogant and defiant concerning the things of God.
Don’t be like Esau (Hebrews 12: 16 -17) • The author gives Esau as an example of someone who didn’t appreciate God’s blessings in his life. üHe spurned his own birthright. üHe lived for the moment without considering the future. üLater on he regretted this, but it was too late. • It is a reminder that many may feel regret or sorrow about their past decisions (including decisions about rejecting God), but that normally will not lead to true repentance.
The Glory of God’s Presence (Hebrews 12: 18 -29) • The writer gives a contrast between the Old and New Covenant. • Mount Zion is described as the present reality to which Christians have come. • The contrast is to indicate what the readers already enjoy and what they will return to if they abandon their faith in Christ. • Our relationship with God is not modeled after Israel’s experience on Mount Sinai. • This passage gives warning of God’s judgment.
The contrasts between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. (Hebrews 12: 18 -24) • Mount Sinai was marked by fear and terror – Mount Zion is a place of love and forgiveness. • Mount Sinai is in the desert – Mount Zion is the city of the Living God • Mount Sinai spoke of earthly things – Mount Zion speaks of heavenly things. • At Mount Sinai, only Moses was allowed to draw near to God – at Mount Zion, an innumerable company, a general assembly is invited to draw near. • Mount Sinai was characterized by guilty men in fear – Mount Zion features just men made perfect.
The contrasts between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. (Hebrews 12: 18 -24) • At Mount Sinai, Moses was the mediator – at Mount Zion, Jesus is the mediator. • Mount Sinai brings an Old Covenant, which was ratified by the blood of animals – Mount Zion brings a New Covenant, which is ratified by the blood of God’s precious Son. • Mount Sinai was all about exclusion, keeping people away from the mountain – Mount Zion is all about invitation. • Mount Sinai is all about Law; the fear of the law – Mount Zion is all about grace; the love of God.
• Mt. Zion doesn’t refer to the actual mountain in Israel. It refers more generally to the kingdom of God and shows a different way that God deals with believers in NT times; contrasted with the way God dealt with them in OT times as shown when He gave them the law at Mt. Sinai. • Mt Sinai says stay back in fear while Mt. Zion says come forward in love.
The Warning (Hebrews 12: 25 -26) • In the wilderness Israelites saw God’s miracles. They experienced them, were healed by Him, saved by Him, delivered by Him. They were taught by Him. They experienced the blessings of being His people every single day during their time in the wilderness. • Yet they didn’t have true faith and did not enter into the promise. The entire generation (except Joshua and Caleb) met their early deaths in the wilderness.
The Warning (Hebrews 12: 25 -26) • We can see God’s plan as it has been revealed throughout history. • We know of Christ’s death and resurrection. • The Bible has been completed. More prophets, teachers, and apostles have come. • The lives of the faithful saints have been recorded for our benefit. • This means that we are without excuse. If we don’t submit ourselves to God now after all of opportunity He has given us, we will be more guilty than the wilderness Jews. • If we refuse to get strong, to get right, and to get bold, then we should not remain ignorant of the consequences.
A Whole Lot of Shaking (Hebrews 12: 27 -29) The final shaking constitutes no threat to Christians: • The final shaking is that of future apocalyptic judgment: the end of the world. (Mat 24: 29) • All believers are part of an enduring kingdom that will never be shaken, never be defeated. • Everything that is physical will be destroyed. (2 Pet 3: 10 -12) • Only the eternal things will remain. (Rev 21: 1 -2) • Earthly kingdoms rise and fall, but the kingdom of God endures forever. (Hag 2: 6; Isa 13: 13; Rev 6: 12 -14)
God is a Consuming Fire! • The warning is that to live under Judaism is to come to Sinai and its judgment. • All who trust in the works of the law will be condemned. • To go back to Judaism after hearing the gospel brings even greater judgment. • For every person the choice is the same. üTo try to approach God by works will not save. (Eph 2: 8 -9) üTrusting in the atoning blood of Christ is the only way to God and eternal salvation. (2 Cor 5: 18 -19)
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